Instrument for cultivation of voice



Dec. 4, 1951 BAXTER 2,577,562

INSTRUMENT FOR CULTIVATION OF VOICE Filed Dec. 3, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l F lllllll m I III."

2 7, 2, BAXTER N 0 VOICE D. TIO

OR CU MENT INSTRU 4, 1 D

2 E1 SHE T HEE 2 s 3 1948 d I F Patented Dec. 4, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IN STRUMENT FOR CULTIVATION F VOICE David Baxter, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Application December 3, 1948, Serial No. 63,270

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an instrument for use in cultivating the voice either in singing or speaking, and to enable a person to so direct the breath and tone in the oral and nasal pharyngeal cavities while singing or speaking so its outward passage may be consciously ascertained, regulated and controlled.

An object of the invention is to furnish an instrument so constructed that, when used in the manner intended, the volume of breath or tone passing transiently therethrough during exhalation and the inlet of air during inhalation, is regulated and controlled.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument having two separate enclosures, one for the oral and the other for the nasal cavities, each provided with adjustable valves for the regulation of the volume of breath or tone passing outwardly through the valves which are the only outlets to the open atmosphere and subject to regulation at will.

And a further object of the invention is the provision of individual coverings for the oral and nasal cavities, adjustably connected together to accommodate the various facial difierences of persons using the appliance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the following description.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of an air chamber adapted to cover the nasal cavity, the View showing the interior of the chamber;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing a midsection of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View showing a midsection of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of another air chamber applicable to the mouth;

Fig. 6 is a transverse view of Fig. 5 in section on the line 6-6 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the nasal and oral air chambers shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, including adjustable connecting means therefor, the structure being adaptable for a singing voice;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a form of the invention adapted for a speaking voice;

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 8 viewing the interior thereof; and v Fig. 10 is a side elevational view showing a midsection of Fig. 9.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of two air chambers, shown generally by A and B respectively (Figs. 1 and 5), that are coupled together adjustably by arms l 5 attached to the corresponding walls of said chambers so that the chamber A covers the nasal cavity when the chamber B is positioned to have communication with the mouth.

The chamber A has a shell [2 one end of which is open and its opposite or outer end closed, and on the rim of the shell, surrounding its open end, is disposed a cushion is made of soft material such as rubber or felt, shaped to fit snugly against the face of a person singing so as to completely encompass the nose which then is confined within the chamber. There is threaded in the outer end wall M of the shell a valve l5 of cylindrical form and having a series of longitudinal peripheral flutes it that vary increasingly in width from a medial portion of the valve to the inner end thereof, so the volume of air admitted from the atmosphere by the valve into the chamber, during inhalation through the nostrils, is varied accordingly as the valve is adjusted, and during exhalation, the volume of breath or sound passing from the chamber to the atmosphere is likewise varied. Thus, the valve serve as a damper by which breathing of the singer through the nostrils and emission of breath or tone of the voice from the chamber are regulated.

The chamber member B, preferably elongated, is provided with opposite flanged heads I! that form the sides of the chamber, and are connected by an encompassing band I 8 in which said heads have sliding movement toward and from each other, by which the space I 9 located between said heads and enclosed by said band, is varied accordingly as said heads are adjusted, said enclosed space constituting a tonal and compression chamber. The chamber B is oval in shape one end thereof being smaller than the other and provided with a transversely disposed mouth opening 20 that extends through the band I 8 and is located midway between the heads ll. Valves 2!, arranged in alinement with each other, are threaded respectively through said heads. These valves have elongated flutes 22 and are similar to the valve I5 in the nasal chamber member A. By turning the valves in one direction or the other the volume of breath or tone of the voice emitted from the mouth of the singer through the mouth opening into the chamber member is atmosphere.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the chamber member, indicated generally by C, two oppositely disposed cup-shaped heads 23 are arranged in alinement with each other and are adjustably movable in an encompassing cylindrical shell 24 whereby the space 25 between saidheads and enclosed by the shell is varied in extent, the confined space serving as a tonal and compression chamber as in the previous instance. Each of :the heads 23 has an axial inwardly extending sleeve 23' in which is threaded a fluted valve 26 similar in character to the previously mentioned valves l and 2|. In this instance the outer end of one of the heads 23 is inserted into the singers mouth, after desired adjustments of the valves, so that when exhaling more or less of the singers breath or tone .of the voice passes into the compression chamber, past the proximal valve, and is subsequently emitted to the atmosphere past the distal valve. By adjustment of the valves unequally more or less pressure of the breath in the chamber .is occasioned. These valves 2-6 serve as dampers that vary the volume of breath or tone of the voice that enter the chamber from the singers mouth and .restricts more or less the volume emitted through the other valve to the atmosphere.

The structure shown in Figs. 8, 9 and is designed primarily for use of a person speaking, although useful for a person singing. In this instance ,a Single shell indicated generally by has separate chambers 27 23, both being open in front and closed at their opposite ends and provided with a cushion 29 disposed on their front edges. The cushion is shaped to fit against the face of a person singing or speaking, the chambers 21 and 2% being adapted to separately cover the nasal organ and the mouth respec tively.

The outer end wall of the nasal chamber 2? has threaded therein a fluted valve 2h, similar to those previously described, to permit more or less limited passage of air into the nasal chamber 27! during inhalation, and passage of breath or tone from the chamber to the atmosphere during exhalation. The side Walls 3! of the charm-- her .23 have elongated apertures 32 made therein for the passage of air from the atmosphere into the chamber 28 or exit of breath or tone from the chamber into the atmosphere, there being provided dampers 33 supported upon a skeletal frame as hinged on the bottom of the shell D by which the dampers are adjustably manipulated. The dampers overlie the apertures respectively and are moved by adjustment of the hinged frame so that the apertures are closed or more or less uncovered accordingly as the frame 3 5 is adjusted. In this manner the volume of air admitted from the atmosphere into the chamber 28, during inhalation, and passage of breath or tone of the voice from the chamber to the atmosphere during exhalation, is more or less regulatedyand controlled by the user.

In using the invention the purpose is to control the outflow of breath or tone while practicing speech or singing, the function of the appliance being to awaken the consciousness or" the speaker or singer in directing the voice or tone into the proper channels of resonance and word formation in the mouth, pharyngeal, and nasal passages. This is accomplished by regulating the volume of voice or tone being expelled through the instrument, more or less by adjustment of the dampers, and likewise controlling passage of air through the instrument to the lungs while inhalmg.

The pressure of the breath or tone within the chambers occasioned by partially closing the dampers has the effect of cushioning the tone of the voice exuded which enables the singer or speaker to gauge the expenditure of breath and to modify the tone of the voice where it is deemed desirable.

Use of the appliance in the manner set forth enables a person singing or speaking to properly regulate breathing and control the tone of voice and establish equilibrium therebetween which becomes habitual through practice without further use of theinstrument.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may be resorted to by the exercise of skill in the art, without departure from the spiritor scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A voice culture instrument consisting of two chambers applicable respectively to the nose and mouth of a person, valves fer said chambers projecting adjustably therein and each having a series of longitudinal flutes that vary increasi ly in width toward one end of the valve and .i ng adapted for passage of air into and from the corresponding chamber and the emission of tone from the instrument that is varied in volume accordingly as the valve is adjusted, and a coupler securing said chambers adjustably together.

2. A voice culture instrument consisting of two chambers applicable respectively to the nose and mouth of a person, one of said chambers being adapted to cover the nose of said person and the other chamber having a mouth opening and adapted to be inserted into the mouth of said person, a iiuted valve extending adjustably into the nose chamber vfor ingress and egress or" air therethrough and emission of tone from said nose chamber, said mouth chamber having apertures affording communication with the atmosphere, and dampers adjustably supported for closing said apertures more or less by which to vary the volume of tone emitted from the mouth chamber accordingly as the dampers are ad-- REFERENCES @ITEB The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES FATE TS Number Name Date 746,380 Richardson et al Dec. 8, 1903 1,050,621 De Ford 1913 2,269,461 Lehmberg Jan. 13, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain June 29, 1905 

